CityBeat: Nadine Allen, Stephen Black for Hamilton County Court of Common Pleas

Reminder: In this race, voters must choose two candidates. The top two candidates win election.

Judges play an understated role in the
U.S. While legislators write and pass the laws and mayors, governors and
presidents enforce the laws, judges interpret the laws. In a sense,
this can be just as important as writing the law.

So it’s refreshing to see the two
Democratic candidates for the Hamilton County Court of Common Pleas tout
that power when running for office. Nadine Allen, the Democratic
incumbent, is running on solving jail overcrowding issues. Meanwhile,
Stephen Black, the Democratic challenger, wants to reduce time required
to resolve cases. Both of these moves make the justice system more
efficient while mitigating overcrowding in jails and prisons — a
serious, expensive issue that both Republicans and Democrats
acknowledge. That’s why we endorse them over their Republican opponents,
Leslie Ghiz and Heather Russell.